Congressman Steve King. (file photo)
Republican Congressman Steve King says it’s up to Republicans to reach across the aisle and get more Democrats in the U.S. House to support the United States Mexico Canada Agreement.
“Let’s just work the political situation,” King says. “…In the end, it’s an up-or-down vote, non-amendable and a take-it-or-leave-it situation, so I think we’re going to end up taking it.”
Mexico has already ratified the deal and Canada’s government has started the ratification process. King says during a recent meeting with President Trump’s top trade adviser, he got the impression House Speaker Nancy Pelosi supports the USMCA.
“First I thought that she would be resistent and delay because I didn’t think that she wanted to see President Trump get a win…until the time I sat down with Ambassador Lighthizer who had not even an inflection in his voice that he was frustrated with Speaker Pelosi,” King says.
King, though he’s a “yes” on the USMCA, suggests keeping the North American Free Trade Agreement in force would be good for Iowa’s economy.
“I never would have opened that trade agreement up…NAFTA was good for Iowa agriculture and good for Iowa manufacturing, but not so good for other states across the country,” King says.
Mexico and Canada are Iowa’s top two trading partners.
King made his comments during an interview at the Plymouth County Fair.
(By Dennis Morrice, KLEM, Le Mars)